Reviews915 total reviews with an average rating of 3.9

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4College FreshmanMar 28 2010

Campus Housing:
All the Dorms Are Pretty Nice, Inside and Out – The outside of the dorms, as with most buildings on-campus, look really nice. The rooms are definitely much larger than average college dorm rooms. Most of the furniture is pretty new too. The social atmosphere is wonderful. A unique aspect here is the amount of dorm spirit. As a freshman, most of the people you meet will be those in your dorm. Amenities include computer clusters and a dining hall near the dorm.

Campus Food:
Great Organic Food, Lacks Variety – All the food served at Stanford are organic, so they're pretty healthy. The dining halls serve pretty good food, though there isn't that much variety. A good way to combat this is by visiting different dinning halls every week. Occasionally, they will invite renown chefs over. These meals are AMAZING. Late-night dinning is also very helpful for those long study nights.

Technology:
Great Network – Amazing campus-wide WIFI connection. There are computer clusters with new computers in every residence hall. All are very accessible. You can always find a spot in the clusters, even during times like finals. It's definitely helpful to have your own computer, however.

Off-Campus Housing:
Very close to supermarkets – This school is very close to supermarkets and other convinieant stores which makes it really helpful. There is a library right down the street, even though gangs are strong within my community I feel that it is a very safe are.

Overall Experience:
My Favorite Place in the World – Stanford is everything I wanted it to be and more. The classes are interesting and challenging. The professors are brilliant, yet extremely approachable. The students are laid-back, friendly, and incredibly intelligent. Social life is just as important as school work. In just a couple of months, I have had one-on-one conversations with a Nobel Prize winner, a Pulitzer Prize winner, and the President of Stanford. I have made incredible friends.

Drug Safety:
What You Want It to Be – Stanford has an incredibly lax alcohol policy. The RAs aren't police. In fact, I have friends who drink with their RAs. However, I think it really is what you want it to be. I know people who go out almost every night. I also know people that don't drink at all. Same thing goes for marijuana use.

Campus Quality:
Our campus is blessed with having very generous alumni who often donate money in the name of campus improvements. For this reason, campus facilities are second to none. Athletic facilities have everything from swimming pools to rock climbing walls to squash courts. Athletic classes are really popular among the student body. There are two main undergrad libraries, Green and Meyer. The Bender room in Green is renowned for being one of the best naptime spots on campus. In general, the campus is absolutely stunning. The quad is literally breath-taking.

Campus Quality:
There are so many opportunities here to do whatever you could want to do. If you want to pursue scientific, literary, or historical research there are professors interested and money from the university to fund you. If you are into service, there are tons of organizations and plenty of money to support that. Overall, there is unparalleled opportunity at Stanford.

Transportation:
Biking and Buses – Biking is the main form of transportation on campus. Everyone has a bike and rides it everywhere. There is a pretty good shuttle bus system and a train station just off campus to take people up to San Francisco. There is also a service on weekend nights to pick up people who feel uncomfortable walking home.

Guys & Girls:
The People Are Great – Stanford people in general are the best part of the campus experience. Everyone has a different background and is very interested or passionate about something. Anyone can find a guy or girl they would like here.

Greek Life:
Not a Big Deal – There aren't too many students in the greek system at Stanford. Those who are involved love it, but most people don't really think about it, except to go to the occasional frat party. The greek system provides a nice extra social outlet without any pressure or status issues.

Health & Safety:
Very Safe Campus – Stanford is a very safe place to be, the only real crime is the ocasional bike theft. Students can even be lazy about security, since there isn't much need to worry, and frequently leave bikes and computers laying around. The university has a pretty intense alert system in case of emergency - recently there was a blackout, and I got a text, email, call on the room phone, and voicemail on my cell letting me know what was going on.

Local Area:
Fantastic Northern California – Palo Alto is an upscale suburban community, so Stanford isn't very well integrated with the community. It's a pricier area, but it's really nice and crime rates are low, and there's enough to do on campus to keep plenty busy. San Francisco and the Pacific Ocean are only a short drive away, so there are always a lot of options! Northern California is a fantastic place to go to school, even if Palo Alto itself is a little boring.

Overall ExperienceWhat's this?

The verdict is in: most students are overwhelmingly happy with their Stanford experience. The combination of challenging academics, undergrad-oriented faculty, diversity, beautiful weather, and a fairly social campus environment all combine to make for a great four years of college. Students, particularly those in engineering or sciences, might find the workload to be especially heavy at times, but most students are capable and want to work hard in the first place. Perhaps the biggest challenge students face at Stanford is just dealing with the other students, who range from hippies to hyper-competitive pre-meds. It makes for an interesting environment, but also a stressful one. However, if you immerse yourself in it long enough, it will eventually start to feel reasonably normal.

Despite the problems that Stanford students find with the University, they overwhelmingly agree that Stanford is “their place,” and they can’t imagine being anywhere else. It seems all the hype and the hefty price tag are well justified by the experiences that students can, and will, have here. If you’re looking for a university with a big name, vibrant population, and a good balance of work and fun, Stanford University will not disappoint.